Posted: Thu Feb 09, 2012 10:42 am Post subject: Will we ever see a short WR get drafted in the top 5?

In the last 10 years or so there hasnt been a WR drafted in the top 5 who has been shorter than 6'1. Will we ever see a Steve Smith kinda player get drafted in the top 5? I looked back until the 1997 draft and the shortest WR drafted in the top 5 was Peter Warrick (5'11) in 2000._________________
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Justin Blackmon, Robert Woods and Sammy Watkins are all listed at 6'1 currently. Who knows if when they reach the combine if they'll come up a bit short of that (Although I doubt Blackmon and Watkins will, possibly Woods)..._________________

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Last edited by TheVillain112 on Thu Feb 09, 2012 11:36 am; edited 1 time in total

Posted: Thu Feb 09, 2012 11:17 am Post subject: Re: Will we ever see a short WR get drafted in the top 5?

Galvao wrote:

In the last 10 years or so there hasnt been a WR drafted in the top 5 who has been shorter than 6'1. Will we ever see a Steve Smith kinda player get drafted in the top 5? I looked back until the 1997 draft and the shortest WR drafted in the top 5 was Peter Warrick (5'11) in 2000.

Will we ever see one? Well, yes. As you pointed out, Peter Warrick was the last one taken in the top 5. Desmond Howard (5'10") was selected 4th overall in 1992.

Will we ever see it happen again? Probably. But the message sent is that taller WRs are better fits for the NFL because they're often more versatile than the pygmies._________________Co-Founder: DCRA - No McQuistan, No Super Bowl

Desmond Howard may be the reason why. He was such a big time bust for what he was expected to be in the NFL at WR that people used him as the prototype as to what to look for to avoid drafting WR busts. He was short, didn't have great top end speed, and wasn't required to run an advanced route tree in college. If a 5'10 200lbs WR that runs a 4.2 and is a Heisman candidate sort of dominant college player comes along, I don't see why they can't go top 5. If he has dominated all three years in college and has return ability like Patrick Peterson, I'd draft the guy top 5. He'd have to have the sort of timed combine speed that he displayed on the field. I'd be skeptical if he ran a 4.45. Jeremy Maclin was a "4.3" guy in college and the next "Desean Jackson" but isn't much of a big play guy in the NFL. Speed would be one of his top assets so he'd need to be able to outrun DBs for as long as Steve Smith and Joey Galloway in order to be worth that high of a pick. Top 5 the goal is to draft a Pro Bowl type player and not just another good NFL player.

We will continue to see shorts WRs in the top 10 being selected, but looking at historic trends of 6-1 and shorter WRs, you shouldnt go near them in the top 10. The past 12 years of top 10 picks have seen 6-1 or shorter WRs being total flops in the NFL. The only success story has been Michael Crabtree, and even that is debatable.

Desmond Howard may be the reason why. He was such a big time bust for what he was expected to be in the NFL at WR that people used him as the prototype as to what to look for to avoid drafting WR busts. He was short, didn't have great top end speed, and wasn't required to run an advanced route tree in college. If a 5'10 200lbs WR that runs a 4.2 and is a Heisman candidate sort of dominant college player comes along, I don't see why they can't go top 5. If he has dominated all three years in college and has return ability like Patrick Peterson, I'd draft the guy top 5. He'd have to have the sort of timed combine speed that he displayed on the field. I'd be skeptical if he ran a 4.45. Jeremy Maclin was a "4.3" guy in college and the next "Desean Jackson" but isn't much of a big play guy in the NFL. Speed would be one of his top assets so he'd need to be able to outrun DBs for as long as Steve Smith and Joey Galloway in order to be worth that high of a pick. Top 5 the goal is to draft a Pro Bowl type player and not just another good NFL player.

I agree. If he has that elite skill set and production in college, a team would probably take a chance on him.

Probably not b/c short WRs are viewed as dime a dozen type guys. Guys that you can get for a much better value in later rounds, the top of the draft is viewed as getting hopefully the next best player at his position for the long term, meaning you want prototypes in that spot._________________2013 Bears Forum Mike Ditka Award Winner
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